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125th YEAR | ISSUE 12 @REFLECTORONLINE f /REFLECTORONLINE

OCTOBER 1, 2013

TUESDAY

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MISSISSIPPI STATE’S UNSUNG HEROES

BY MYRA RICE

Mississippi State University’s Colvard Student Union, can identify.

Calmes began working fresh out of high school at the age of 21. He said he grew tired of construction work and set his

Contributing Writer

“Out with the old and in with the new,” is certainly a phrase with which Ricky Calmes, current custodial supervisor of

Ricky Calmes’s hard work at MSU demonstrates his character.

sights on something bigger. Little did he know that something bigger would be his career here at MSU. Calmes said he could not have done it alone and was assisted by one of MSU’s very own.

“I met a guy named Roy McGhee. He’s retired now, but he helped me get started,” Calmes said.

Calmes said he remembers working at the Union before it was newly renovated.

SEE CALMES, 2

ANDREW YERGER | THE REFLECTOR

Search committee establishes director of Alumni Association candidates for office

BY JAMIE ALLEN

rowed down through a strategic This past spring, Missis- process in sippi State University saw which every the retirement of one of its a p p l i c a n t own as Jimmy Abraham was treated stepped down from his po- equally.

Abraham sition of executive director “We were of the Alumni Association. certainly looking for leadCurrently, the search for a ership ability, especially replacement nears an end as within the context of volthe committee unteer-drivchoses between en organizatwo candidates tions. We are We were to fill this posialso looking tion. for financial certainly The nationskills, not looking for wide search, only in meetleadership which began ing a budget, in June, has ability, especially but also enlasted three within the context trepreneurial months as the of volunteer-driven skills,” Kibler committee has said. “It was sifted through organizations. We a plus to have resumes, con- are also looking for higher-educaducted inter- financial skills, not tion alumni views and refer- only in meeting a association ence checks and experience made critical budget, but also either from a decisions to get entrepreneurial staff perspecwhere it is now. skills.” tive or from Bill Kibler, -Bill Kibler, voluntary vice president leadership of Student Af- vice president of roles.” fairs, serves as Student Affairs The comthe chair on mittee has the committee. narrowed the He said initialcandidates ly there were about 30 ap- down to two, Jeff H. Davis plicants, and they were nar- and John “Scott” Waller.

Staff Writer

Ricky Calmes, custodial supervisor at the Colvard Student Union, was promoted after starting out mopping floors.

SEE CANDIDATES, 2

Interns entitled to receive equal compensation for work

BY MARY KATE MCGOWAN Assistant News Editor

A court battle has brought unpaid internships to the forefront of discussion in a way that will affect Mississippi State University students who seek or currently hold an intern position.

Two interns from the Oscar-nominated film “Black Swan” and Fox Searchlight and Fox Entertainment Group have battled in the courts since September 2011. The two interns, who represent over 100 Fox Searchlight interns, pressed civil charges against

the film company and have reopened Pandora’s box to the world of unpaid internships.

According to Deadline Hollywood’s article “‘Black Swan’ Interns File Lawsuit,” the interns originally pressed charges citing improper use of interns, including doing work

that should have been done by employees working for a wage.

A June 11 court ruling affected both the case and internships as a whole.

In his “TIME” article “Black Swan Event: The Beginning of the End of Unpaid Internships,” Ross Perlin said the

Manhattan’s Federal district court’s June 11 decision justified the interns and proved the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 still has consequence.

On Sept. 4, Fox Searchlight and Fox Entertainment group appealed the June decision — this sent the case into second

circuit courts for more guidance.

“Most interns at for-profit companies are entitled to be paid minimum wage and overtime, and to receive the same workplace protections as other employees,” Perlin said in his article.

SEE UNPAID, 3

Starkville remembers Civil War history

BY MARY KATE MCGOWAN Assistant News Editor

One-hundred-fifty years ago, Union general Benjamin Grierson made his way through Starkville. Last Saturday, Starkville residents dedicated a historical marker in Walgreen’s parking lot to honor the American Civil War sesquicentennial.

The ceremony included the marker dedication and a panel discussion at the Greensboro Center.

Mayor Parker Wiseman, John Marszalek, executive president of the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library, and C.J. Johnson, former president of the Golden Triangle Civil War Round Table, spoke at the marker’s unveiling.

Marszalek said it is neces-

sary people acknowledge Mis- in Starkville in honor of Tom sissippi was the Williams, a center of the member of the Civil War. GTR Civil War I think it’s “I think it’s Roundtable. important important to About a year and realize that a a half ago, the to realize small place that a small marker broke. like Starkville Duffy Neuthat was really place like Starkville bauer, operaoff the beaten that was really off tions coordipath in those the beaten path in nator at the days still was those days was still H u m p h r e y influenced Coliseum and a by this war,” influenced by this founding father Marszalek said. war.” of the GTR Civ“Starkville had -John Marszalek, il War Round a role in, a Table, said this small role, but Executive president marker will of Ulysses S. Grant hopefully last it had a role.”

In 1991, Presidential Library longer than 18 a historical years, and the marker comWalgreens lomemorating cation is better Grierson’s Raid was erected than the last one.

SEE CIVIL WAR, 2

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DEREK VAN WINKLE | THE REFLECTOR

A marker was dedicated in honor of Tom Williams and his role in the Civil War during a ceremony next to Walgreens on Saturday. This year is the Civil War’s 150th anniversary.

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2 | TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2013

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NEWS

CALMES

Friday, Sept. 27 • 2:29 a.m. A student reported his bicycle was stolen from outside Perry Cafeteria in August.

Saturday, Sept. 28 • 2:02 a.m. A student was arrested for no seat belt (warrant) in Starkville.

• 3:07 p.m. A student reported his Discover Card missing. It was later found in the student’s dorm room.

Sunday, Sept. 29 • 1:27 a.m. A student was arrested on Barr Avenue for careless driving and driving under the influence.

• 4:45 p.m. Students received student referrals for possession of marijuana in Oak Hall.

• 11:30 p.m. A student reported someone attempted to gain entry to his room in Evans Hall. No one was found.

Citations:

• 15 citations were issued for speeding.

• 23 citations were issued for disregard of a traffic device.

CANDIDATES continued from 1

This past week, both came is a graduate of Mississipto campus for public sessions, pi State University and has which were held in the Hunt- also completed a four-year er Henry Center. nonprofit leadership trainAccording to Stephen F. ing program conducted by Austin University’s website, the U.S. Chamber of ComDavis is currently the exec- merce called the Institute for utive director of Alumni Af- Organization Management. fairs for Stephen He and his F. Austin State wife reside However, University in in Madison, Na c o g d o c h e s , Miss., and a decision Texas. about these have one son He earned a who is curbachelor’s de- two finalists should rently a stugree in business be made fairly dent at MSU. administration soon.”

Kibler said from Stephen -Bill Kibler, this would be F. Austin State the last step University and a vice president of of the process master’s of busi- Student Affairs if the univerness administrasity decides tion in manageto hire one of ment from the University of these two candidates. HowevAlabama at Birmingham. He er, he said there is a possibilcurrently lives in Nacogdo- ity that neither of them will ches with his wife and their be hired, and the process will two daughters. start over.

According to the Mississip“The university’s hands pi Economic Council’s web- are not tied if they decide to site, Waller is currently the extend the search further or senior vice president of Public open it up again. However, a Affairs at the Mississippi Eco- decision about these two finomic Council and the State nalists should be made fairly Chamber of Commerce. He soon,” Kibler said.

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He recalls the duties he had working at that time.

“I started working at night. I would do set-up and I would even mop floors,” Calmes said.

Calmes’s hard work and dedication would eventually pay off for him in the form of a job promotion. MSU’s Union underwent a renovation and with that came renovated opportunities for Calmes.

“They renovated the union building and after I was offered the supervisor position over the night staff. It felt good, real good,” Calmes said.

Brad Hill, who currently serves as the Colvard Student Union Coordinator, said he recalls the service Calmes provided to MSU’s campus for over 20 years.

“Ricky is a very, very hard worker. Ricky wants to make sure that everyone he works with is taken care of. Ricky is not just an employee, but a friend to all,” Hill said.

Calmes said he finds motivation for work through his love for his children. Calmes has four children who range from 11 to 22 years in age.

Calmes’s oldest son attends school at East Mississippi Community College. Calmes said he encourages the students he encounters here at MSU to do well in school.

“I tell them to get the work done, get your degree and stay in school,” Calmes said.

Randy Conley, longtime friend of Calmes, serves as the daytime custodial supervisor at MSU. Conley has worked with Calmes for over 20 years and said he considers Calmes to be a good friend.

“I met Ricky in the old union building. He worked nights while I worked days. Ricky is a good fella. We joke a lot, and we make the job here fun,” Conley said.

Conley also praised Calmes for making his job easier.

“Ricky comes in on time. He always will call and let me know

CIVIL WAR “I had the advantage of looking at all kinds of signs and historical markers, and I was always interested in history. Someone else put those up for me to read,” Neubauer said. “I felt it was part of the cycle, and my responsibility is to put something up that the next generation could read.”

Although Walgreens was not around during Grierson’s Raid, he did make his way through the Golden Triangle Area.

Anne Marshall, MSU associate professor of history, said Grierson and his troops played a very important role in the Civil War. “It was Grant (cmdr. of the Union force)] who had ordered this guy Grierson to go on this raid,” Marshall said. “Grant had been in trying to capture Vicksburg, which was really important for the Union war effort. The only Confederate stronghold preventing them from controlling the entire Mississippi River was Vicksburg. The idea behind Grierson’s raid was for Grierson to divert attention from what Grant was doing at Vicksburg.”

continued from 1

ANDREW YERGER | THE REFLECTOR

Ricky Calmes gladly performs his duties as the custodial supervisor of the union. what’s going on. He lets me know what needs to be done the next day,” Conley said.

Calmes is no stranger to multitasking. He said his job often involves juggling multiple tasks at once.

“I do set up, but I also may have to clean up the bathrooms or sometimes the ballroom for special events,” Calmes said.

When asked what words he lived by, Calmes leaned back in his chair and laughed.

“I always say God is good at all times, and I live by that,” Calmes said.

Calmes said he is optimistic about his job here at MSU and greets each day with a challenging spirit.

continued from 1 Marshall said the raid lasted only a few weeks but was successful.

“What Grierson did was basically start in LaGrange, Tenn., and he went south through Mississippi. The goal was to destroy railroad lines and destroy enemy Confederate equipment that could go to Vicksburg,” Marshall said.

“Grierson was supposed to sidetrack some Confederate troops from Vicksburg.”

Marshall said Grierson and his 1,700 cavalry men made their way through Starkville on April 21, 1863. They entered the city near what is today Miss. Highway 389, which becomes Louisville Street.

They commandeered a wagon load of hats they thought were being delivered to Confederate soldiers in Vicksburg and passed them out to area slaves.

“It’s kind of a cool thing.

It’s a great story,” Marszalek said. “ It’s probably true that when the hats were captured and given to the area slaves, the next day, the local newspaper allegedly wrote a column castigating all the Starkville men for allowing this to happen. It said, ‘All we can

DEREK VAN WINKLE | THE REFLECTOR

A historical marker now commemorates Grierson’s Raid and Tom Williams in the Walgreens parking lot. say now is that we that we have the best hatted slaves in the Confederacy.’”

Other Civil War sites in Starkville include Odd Fellows Cemetery, where Confederate and Union soldiers are buried, the Jackson House and the Carpenter House. The Montgomery House marks where Con-

federate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest and his troops camped before the Battle of West Point.

The Civil War Artillery Museum also focuses on the Civil War, and Neubauer owns the museum. It is open to the public by appointment.

Members of the GTR Civil War Round Table and other local historians believe the marker and what is represents along with the Civil War is still relevant to modern Starkville.

“If you want to understand what America is like today, and since that time, you have to know the Civil War,” Marszalek said.

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2013 | 3

NEWS

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JAMES TRACY | THE REFLECTOR

UNPAID As the lawsuit grows in popularity and influence, its impact might rattle the current climate of internships and MSU students.

This lawsuit could spur potential change with internship regulations, including pay and required hours could result in more restrictions and/or less available internships for students.

The common word associated with practical work experience is “internship.”

The purpose of internships is to provide an in-

continued from 1 structional environment to teach interns the necessary skills and develop work experience. Sometimes this leads to paid and unpaid internships.

Scott Maynard, director of the MSU Career Center, said the center emphasizes that all students should gain practical work experience in their field prior to graduation.

“The Career Center tries to educate all employers who come through its office to follow the law with overtime pay and un-

paid internships,” Maynard said.

Kelsey Smith, senior communication major, said internships are necessary before graduation.

This summer, Smith was an academic intern for the event marketing team at St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Memphis. It was an unpaid internship.

“I was only allowed to work 20 hours a week,” Smith said. “I got academic credit for it. The people I met and the experience I got were worth it.”

Smith said St. Jude scheduled interns in a way that made sure interns did not work more than their allotted time per week.

Other MSU students performed internships, paid or unpaid, as well.

Regan Byrd, junior geosciences major, was a summer intern at Neel Schaffer engineering firm. Byrd was stationed at the Ridgeland, Miss., location and received pay for her work and time at the office.

“It helped being paid,” Byrd said. “Money man-

agement is also very important to learn. Because I was being paid, I wanted to be there and work more hours.”

Affordability and cost are major concerns students share when it comes to internships, according to Maynard.

“I would like to see all internships paid because it levels the playing field and gives more opportunity to students on a fixed income,” Maynard said.

“Some people aren’t able to afford to live in Washing-

ton, D.C. for a summer.”

The Career Center has negotiated housing prices in D.C. and other places for students.

“We try to do little things like this to help students,” Maynard said.

The Fox Searchlight lawsuit will eventually reach a verdict that affects internships and students across the country,for better or for worse.

For more information about the MSU Career Center, visit its website at www.career.msstate.edu.

Breast cancer event raises awareness

BY REBECCA BYRNE Contributing Writer

On Wednesday, the Department of Health Education and Wellness will host a breast cancer awareness event from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the Drill Field.

Mississippi State University students are asked to wear pink to support Breast Cancer Awareness. Students will be educated on early detection of breast cancer.

Joyce Yates, director of JULEIGH BAKER | COURTESY PHOTO Health Education and Well- The Department of Heath Education and Wellness ness said she believes breast hosts a breast cancer awarness event aiming to help cancer is an important issue teach young people more about early detection. to discuss.

“The Department of Health Education and Well- event that the Department way for young people to deness partners with various of Health Education and tect changes...There will be entities and student orga- Wellness has planned for breast models at the Breast nizations to promote health breast cancer at the moment, Cancer Awareness event to awareness and disease pre- but they will be speaking to allow people to feel what a groups that have requested lump in a breast will feel like vention topics.” Yates said.

JuLeigh Baker, the Health a speaker about breast can- when they perform a breast and Wellness educator in cer awareness and hosting a self-exam.”

Laura Hinton, a graducharge of the event, said in few informational displays an email interview, the De- around campus,” Baker said. ate assistant who works on Baker, the Health and initiatives addressing breast partment of Health Education and Wellness started Wellness Educator in charge cancer awareness, discussed planning this event early in of the event said even her favorite part of working the year and benefits from though few young people on this event.

“Figuring out the best way the help of many volunteers. are diagnosed with breast “The Department of cancer, it is important to to communicate and get the Health Education and Well- perform breast self-exams word out about breast canness planned events for the because early detection of cer to college students,” fall semester in July. There breast cancer is important Hinton said.

According to the Ameriwill be staff members, for survival.

“Only a small percentage can Cancer Society, in 2013, graduate assistants, Health Service Volunteers and sev- of young people develop 232,340 women will be dieral members from Zeta breast cancer. But young agnosed with breast cancer, Tau Alpha sorority that are people need to learn how and 39,620 women will die co-sponsoring for the event to perform proper breast from breast cancer.

Women are not the only and will help in shifts.” Bak- self-exams (BSE) and perform them on a regular ba- people at risk of developing er said.

Baker said though there sis. This will allow them breast cancer. According to are not anymore large events to be aware of any chang- the American Cancer Sofor breast cancer awareness es or lumps in their breast ciety, approximately 2,240 planned at this time, the de- as soon as it happens,” she new cases of breast cancer partment of Health Educa- said. “The key to survival will be diagnosed among tion and Wellness will speak of breast cancer is early de- men in 2013, and about 410 tection. Performing regular men will die from breast at smaller events.

“This is the only large and correct BSE is the best cancer.

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OPINION

4 | TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2013

OPINION EDITOR: ALIE DALEE | opinion@reflector.msstate.edu INTERNATIONAL INK

War in the world; peace in America

O

n Sunday morning, dozens of students were gunned down by suspected Islamic militants in Nigeria. A car bomb in Peshawar, Pakistan killed over 100 people late Saturday evening. A suicide bomber in Iraq killed 30 people on Sunday.

Two devastating stories hit global media last week. First, a bomb killed 78 in a church in Pakistan.

Pranaav Jadhav is a junior maSecond, a terrorist siege in Westjoring in communication. He gate mall in Kenya, which killed can be contacted at opinion@ over 60 people and injured hunreflector.msstate.edu. dreds.

I couldn’t cease to draw similarities to an identical attack when 10 Sept. 11, 2001 was a rare setback terrorists from Pakistan infiltrated to our national security agencies into Mumbai and took the city when there was a collective failhostage for 60 hours in November ure and lack of coordination. Ever 2008. Without a thought to spare since the attack on the twin towers, lives, the terrorists openly fired at our measures to combat terrorism men, women and children at a have grown enormously.

The Department of Homeland train station, in a hotel and in a Security was born in response to restaurant, killing over 200.

In a breakthrough revelation on the horrific September 11 attacks.

Sunday, David McKenzie and An- In 2011, the department enjoyed tonia Mortensen of CNN reported a massive budget of $98.8 billion Kenyan officials were warned of an from which it spent $66 billion on attack on the Westgate mall over a internal security.

John Cassidy, columnist for the year ago. The report also said several hostages were brutally tortured New Yorker, in an article post on the Boston bombings earlier this before they were killed.

“Military doctors said militants year, attributed the strategic geosevered hands, cut off noses and, graphical location of the U.S. to in some cases, hanged hostages. less terror attacks on American soil.

“The small number of successful CNN has seen photographic evidence of one dead victim with a attacks on the United States rehand amputated,” Mortensen said. flects the country’s geographic isoJames Verini, New Yorker corre- lation and the efforts of domestic spondant, documented an eye-wit- law-enforcement authorities, but it ness account of Njoroge, a man also demonstrates the decline of Al who was present at the mall when Qaeda in the face of a prolonged U.S. military onthe attack took slaught,” Cassidy place.

As said.

“Men with large Americans, In the past few rifles or machine years, the number guns fired into let us the crowd,” Ver- treasure our most of terrorist attacks worldwide has ini said, “Some children fell, shot; prized possession: steadily declined, along with the others lay down.” our peace.” number of terrorHe described the ism fatalities. gunmen firing into In 2007, according to a report on their backs. “One of the attackers took up a stone and slammed a the Department of State’s Counman, who was holding a child, in terterrorism Center, there were the head. Then he picked his gun 14,415 terrorist attacks around the globe, which resulted in 22,720 back up and fired more.”

The New Yorker reported the deaths. In 2011, the most recent official death toll at the Westgate year for which figures are available, mall was 62 civilians. The govern- there were 10,283 attacks and ment’s rough numbers for dead 12,533 deaths.

Congress has not declared a war shooters and security personnel are five and six, respectively, and since World War II, but our men it’s feared that there may be many in uniform have combatted severmore bodies in the rubble. The al bloody terror attacks. There are mall is still being searched for more questions than there are anbombs. The Kenyan government, swers. We need to build the next along with the F.B.I. and British generation of leaders who have and German intelligence agencies, ideas and solutions to combat terhave begun forensic investigations. ror.

The fear of being killed in a bomb Living in the United States, we are the safest and most secure hu- blast or the fear of not seeing loved mans in the world. Fifteen state-of- ones at the end of the day lingers in the-art investigative agencies work the minds of millions across globe. relentlessly to nullify any threats of As Americans, let us treasure and terrorism that pop-up against the celebrate our most privileged and U.S., and we enjoy living in peace. prized possession: our peace.

PRANAAV JADHAV

Managing Editor

Editor in Chief

News Editor

Kristen Spink

Kaitlyn Byrne

Anna Wolfe

Multimedia Editor

Life Editor

Opinion Editor

Zack Orsborn

Daniel Hart

Alie Dalee

Sports Editor John Galatas

Photography Editor Kaitlin Mullins

Copy Editor Emma Crawford

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Letters to the editor should be sent to the Meyer Student Media Center or mailed to The Reflector, PO Box 5407, Mississippi State, MS. Letters may also be emailed to editor@reflector.msstate.edu.

Letters must include name and telephone number for verification purposes. The editor reserves the right to edit or refuse to publish a letter.

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EDITORIAL POLICY The Reflector is the official student newspaper of Mississippi State University. Content is determined solely by the student editorial staff.

The contents of The Reflector have not been approved by Mississippi State University.

The Reflector staff strives to maintain the integrity of this paper through accurate and honest reporting. If we publish an error we will correct it. To report an error, call 325-7905.

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U.S. Poet Laureate unearths Mississippi’s painful past

T

hrough rainfall and gray skies, U.S. Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey transformed the Bill R. Foster ballroom into an intimate, warm space last Tuesday.

Her clear, strong voice rang out as she read selections from her volumes of poetry. She interspersed readings with anecdotes and interludes about what Mississippi means to her as a native of the state, how its dark past intersects with her personal history, what it means to come back to her home state and which poets have inspired her own work. If her poetry is a peek through a cracked door at her life, she swung that door wide open for us Tuesday.

Trethewey’s visit illustrates the reason Mississippi State University hosts writers and scholars as speakers. Their visits break down the walls existing between students and professionals, between the intellectualization school requires and the men and women producing the work we study and cherish.

During the Q&A session following Trethewey’s reading, Trethewey and Catherine Pierce, associate professor of English and co-director of MSU’s creative writing program, rested in armchairs flanking a side-table bearing a small vase of flowers.

If seeing a nationally-honored poet cross her legs and sit back in an armchair was not humbling enough, one of Trethewey’s answers during the Q&A crumbled any barrier between her and the audience.

An attendee asked Trethewey about depictions of dark and light in her poems, which returned Trethewey to the discussion of her mother, who passed away when Trethewey was 19 and who Trethewey depicts and remembers in a myriad of ways in her poetry.

Trethewey’s perfect enunciation broke as she spoke of her moth-

DANIEL HART MEGAN BEAN | COURTESY PHOTO

Catherine Pierce hosts a Q & A with guest speaker Natasha Trethewey.

er. The memories and emotions Trethewey held overwhelmed her as she paused and dammed her tears long enough to speak. The audience was respectfully silent as Trethewey responded after a moment and said that it is only through poetry that her mother returns to her.

Trethewey’s response pointed the audience directly to the heart of her work and to any poet or writer’s work. Her poetry is for sharing, but it comes from experiences and stories only understandable, at their core, to her. Memories terrible and beautiful, as Trethewey might call them.

Trethewey reminded us that her elegant, concise poetry pours from messy, emotional moments in life.

She attempts to explain the inexplicable.

When poets and writers, scholars, scientists and visual artists visit, they remind us that their work is but a small snapshot of their lives and not a panoramic view. Any work one produces comes from a deep wellspring. A person’s life can never be completely captured through any medium, no matter how hard we try. The relics left behind are but frames sliced from innumerable film reels only we can carry with us.

Thomas Anderson, professor of English and director of undergrad-

uate studies in English, fixated on the intimacy of Trethewey’s reading. He said Trethewey’s humanity during the visit contrasted the somewhat impersonal analyzation of poetry.

“This is an example of how the past is always with us in powerful ways,” he said. “In the end, we can intellectualize poetry and the act of writing all we want, but at that moment for her, it was just a memory of her mother that she was feeling.”

Passionate speakers not only deconstruct barriers between students and professionals but can have an uncanny ability to spread inspiration like a virus.

Pierce, who is a well-reviewed published poet as well as professor, moderated Tuesday’s reading and Q&A session. She said, for her, it’s beneficial to hear a speaker like Trethewey bring thrilling motivation and parcel it out to the audience.

“Any time I have the opportunity to hear a reading or a talk by someone so fiercely smart and so powerfully dedicated to the arts, I feel inspired and energized — as poet, professor, reader and human,” she said.

Jane Walton, junior communication major and Mississippi native, said part of the importance of Trethewey’s visit, for her, was

Daniel Hart is the life editor of The Reflector. He can be contacted at life@reflector. msstate.edu.

Trethewey’s thoughts on Mississippi. Trethewey’s discussion of the “terrible beauty” of the state included an unflinching look at both the great and despicable moments littered throughout Mississippi’s history. Walton said she found Trethewey’s views particularly engaging.

“She discussed how ‘geography is fate’ and how she has a lovehate relationship with Mississippi, which she views as healthy, as ‘to love a place is to want to see it get better,’” Walton said. “Mississippi is often belittled in the media for a multitude of reasons, and it’s always a bit disheartening, so these sentiments were an interesting take on being a Mississippi native.”

When poets, writers, scholars or scientists visit MSU, we see them without the filter of words, images or numbers on pages. We remember that whoever we look up to, they come from their own failures and successes and stake out their ground, attempting to solve problems they find unsolvable.

Last Tuesday, we gained a glimpse behind the curtain of a poet’s work. The shell of a renowned poet — the awards, the beautiful language, the lauding reviews, the work analyzed in classrooms — splintered and fell to the floor around Trethewey’s armchair.

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Is it closing time for U.S. government?

A

s the saying goes, “Were it not for the last minute, nothing would ever get done.” This seems to be a shared philosophy among those in Congress and most college students.

One group likes to party hard and wait until the last possible minute to throw something together to turn in, and then there are college students.

Each year, the House of Representatives and Senate are required to pass 12 appropriations bills to fund federal agencies and set spending priorities. This is supposed to happen before the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30. But since Congress makes the rules, they rarely follow them. According to CQ Roll Call, the last time Congress passed all of these bills individually before the deadline was in 1994. Instead it resorts to stopgap budgets called continuing resolutions. The last stopgap measure expired at midnight on Monday.

If Republicans in the House and Democrats in the Senate cannot agree on a bill to fund the government agencies, all “non-essen-

tial” functions of these agencies will cease. Such a gap in funding would not be a new phenomenon (there have been 17 lapses in funding since 1977), nor would it be catastrophic.

According to a Department of Justice memo, referring to the lapse in federal funding as a “shutdown” is “an entirely inaccurate description” because, in reality, the government will not shutdown. A federal law called “The Antideficiency Act” was amended in 1982 during the Reagan administration to ensure that major government programs still function during a funding gap, even if some employees are furloughed.

Even if it does happen, essential services like air traffic control, meat inspections, border patrol and mail delivery would continue.

Social Security checks would be sent, and the Medicaid and Medicare programs would continue to pay doctors. The military would continue to ensure our national defense, and every other essential function of the federal government will carry on.

However, a lapse in funding

wouldn’t be a walk in the park, especially considering that all national parks would close. Many federal employees would be furloughed and all “nonessential” government services such as production of passports, visas and gun permits, among many others, would either see significant delays or cease completely under a funding gap.

The results would be felt locally as well. According to Feds Data Center there are 80 federal employees working at Mississippi State University with an additional 62 federal employees working in the Starkville area. A large number of those federal employees working at MSU work for the Agricultural Research Service. As outlined by a USDA shutdown action plan, apart from those caring for the animals and plants, all other employees will be sent home without pay until funding is resumed.

Republicans want to delay implementation of Obamacare as part of the continuing resolution, and Democrats consider any changes to Obamacare to be a deal breaker. The only thing both sides

JOJO DODD

JoJo Dodd is a sophomore majoring in economics. He can be contacted at opinion@ reflector.msstate.edu.

can agree upon is that if a government shutdown was to occur, it would be the other side’s fault.

Another issue that should not be confused with the possible government shutdown is the debt ceiling debate. The limit on federal borrowing is currently set at $16.7 trillion, and according to the Bipartisan Policy Center, the limit will be reached around Oct. 18.

If the debt ceiling is reached, Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said the Treasury, “would be left to fund the government with only the cash we have on hand.” It would leave many obligations unpaid, the total effect of which is entirely unknown since it has never happened before.

If the government had to shutdown for a brief period it would probably be worth it. A shutdown isn’t a good thing, but it also isn’t the worst thing.

MY LENS

Plan 2020 revolutionizes Alabama school system

O

ur neighboring state of Alabama has decided to introduce new academic standards starting next school year through Plan 2020. This six-year plan aims to replace the academic standards set by No Child Left Behind. Instead of insisting that students of all races and socioeconomic status reach the same level of proficiency by a certain date, Plan 2020 seeks to give individualized standards to these groups.

This is done to encourage a more realistic goal based on each group’s level of proficiency at the start of the program. For instance, if 71 percent of African-American students are proficient in math at the start, then 77 percent will be the goal for them by the end of the first year. Compare that to 91 percent proficiency of Asian/Pacific Islander students that are expected to be at 91.3 percent by the end of the first year.

On the surface, this may seem like academic segregation where schools are now catering to the needs of kids based on skin tone

and parents’ income. This doesn’t initially sit well in the stomach.

However, it is an efficient way to approach reality. Most can agree that segregation would be a step back, but Plan 2020 offers a solution to the academic competency gap by setting practical standards of achievement based on the sample populations’ mean level of competency in a certain subject.

Instead of desiring full competency from everyone by a certain date this modular plan offers a realistic solution to close the educational gaps that exist between racial and socioeconomic groups.

Another point of Plan 2020 is to give students entering high school the option to be put on an academic track for college. At the start of their freshman year of high school, Alabama students will meet with a counselor to determine if they want to go to college. Their decision will allow them to either take more career-based classes or classes that will prepare them for college. Of course, every kid has the opportunity to switch from

one track to another at any point during high school but might be required to take extra classes in order to complete the curriculum.

This seems a bit like overkill. I find favor with a modular educational system, but not one that puts kids on a track based on a choice they make at age 14. I think every child should be encouraged toward a path of higher education regardless of his or her intention to go to college. I don’t believe a 14-year-old has any real idea about their desire for higher education at the start of high school. I feel my opinon could be taken as limiting freedom of choice from a 14-yearold, but the option to dramatically change the outcome of one’s life at that age is not something a 14-year-old is capable to do. It is in the best academic interest of each kid to take an educational path toward college.

I think Plan 2020 has a more realistic approach to academic standards that can actually be achievable. I appreciate that Alabama has implemented an initiative that

MATT TAYLOR Matt Taylor is a senior majoring in mechanical engineering. He can be contacted at opinion@reflector.msstate. edu.

not only addresses the reality that exists as an educational inequality through races but has developed a plan to nullify it in time. Although I am upset by the idea of a freshman choosing his or her desire for college, I am curious to see how effective the program is through the years and am hopeful that it can close the academic gap that exists.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2013 | 5

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HELP WANTED Church looking for a fulltime pianist. If interested, please call 662.323.3426 or 662.418.5280.

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Insight Bible study and worship Tuesdays at 8 p.m. at 286 East Lee Blvd. next to Campus Book Mart. Follow on Twitter @MSStateWesley or on Facebook.

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www.health.msstate.edu 360 Hardy rd - Just across tHe street from tHe msu Library

a meeting Wed., Oct. 2, at 7 p.m. in Tait Butler with food and drinks at 6:30 p.m.

KAPPA KAPPA PSI

Cardboard box boat race Oct. 6 at 2:30 p.m. at the Sanderson Center pool.

Teams of one to five people can compete for a cash prize with a $50 registration fee. Register online at www. squareup.com/market/KKpsiepsilon/cardboard-boat-raceregistration. Proceeds go to the Palmer Home for Children.

SOCIOLOGICAL STUDENT ASSOCIATION

SSA meets the last Thursday of every month in Bowen 250 at 5 p.m. Every major is welcome.

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Care about the environment?

Love activism? Come join SSC on Thursdays at 6 p.m. in McCool 111 to make a difference. Follow on Twitter @MSU_SSC.

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LIFE EDITOR: DANIEL HART | life@reflector.msstate.edu

LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT

A little cheesy:

By CaleB Bates Staff Writer

For over 75 years, Edam Cheese has been a Mississippi State University symbol just as iconic as the cowbell. The signature red “cannonball” of cheese had humble beginnings at MSU, but since then the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station (MAFES) has developed an outlet for a variety of dairy and produce.

According to msucheese. com, the MAFES store’s website, cheese was first made at MSU by F. H. Herzer, professor and head of the Dairy Science Department from 19471958, in 1938.

At its conception, the program was only able to produce a couple hundred balls of cheese per year, but production capabilities skyrocketed once the dairy plant moved to its current home in the Herzer Dairy Science Facility in

MSU’s MAFES store sells cheese, other MSU goods, keeps land-grant history alive, productive

1970. Now, over 30,000 cannon balls are produced every year.

Though MSU sells plenty of cheese, msucheese.com notes the plant is primarily a venue for students to learn and conduct research.

According to the website, “This facility is equipped with some of the most modern equipment available and provides an excellent teaching and research laboratory for the students studying dairy

megan bean | university relations

An MSU student checks Edam cheese balls in a salt bath. MSU’s iconic cheeses have been produced since 1928 and are offshoots of MAFES’s campus research.

Monsters and midterms: Fall TV filled with zombies, vampires premieres as school becomes busier By nur-ul-HuDa MujaHiD ContributingWriter

School is in mid-semester.

It is Thursday night, homework is done, snacks are out and the television is on. This can mean only one thing: fall has finally arrived, and television programs, new and old alike, return.

The fall television season officially kicked off the week of Sept. 23, but that does not mean all the fun is over.

From “The Vampire Diaries” to “The Walking Dead,” October is full of television premieres, vampire families and the undead.

Shows like “Modern Family,” “Glee” and “The Voice” already premiered for returning seasons this fall and, according to the Wall Street Journal, the public received them well. The newspaper reports the 2013 fall television season got the ball rolling with higher average prime-time ratings than last year.

Several prime-time networks such as ABC, NBC,

and CBS offer their shows for free online viewing. If one missed the premiere of shows like “Grey’s Anatomy,” “2 Broke Girls,” or “The Voice,” he or she is not out of luck and can go online to watch the shows he or she missed.

Cliff hangers from last year are not the only factor that draws viewers to television this fall. Many networks introduce new programs. One of these is “Dracula,” a show premiering on NBC Oct. 25 at 10 p.m. that continues the vampire trend on the rise in recent years.

According to “TV Guide,” “Dracula” features Jonathan Rhys Meyers, who plays an old-school vampire as he arrives in London impersonating an American entrepreneur who wants to introduce modern society to Victorian society.

Though Dracula plays an entrepreneur, his intentions are a little more twisted. To summarize the show, “TV Guide” said, “Of course, Drac is just there to seek

THE REFLECTOR

revenge on those who’ve wronged him. Along the way, he falls in love with Mina Murray (Jessica De Gouw), who seems to be a reincarnation of his dead wife.”

Another new TV show which involves vampires and is a “TV Guide” Editor’s Pick, is “The Orginals,” which premieres Thursday on the CW at 9 p.m. The premiere follows the season premiere of “The Vampire Diaries,” on the same network, at 8 p.m.

The highly anticipated premiere is a spin-off of “The Vampire Diaries.” “The Originals” follows the original family of vampire siblings made famous in ‘The Vampire Diaries:” Elijah (Daniel Gillies), Klaus (Joseph Morgan) and Rebekah (Claire Holt).

“Entertainment Weekly” spoke to Julie Plec, executive producer of “The Originals.”

Plec hinted that the show will not be an ordinary “Vampire Diaries” narrative, as “The Originals” works with the same fictional world

foods at Mississippi State University. The cheese operation is a by-product of the teaching and research programs.”

Today, the dairy plant is under the command of plant manager David Hall.

Hall said the demand for cheese is high enough to keep him and his team busy yearround.

“We only have a full-time staff of six workers and a handful of student workers, so we stay pretty busy,” Hall said.

As fall settles in and the holiday season approaches, Hall said the dairy plant will have to kick things into high gear to keep up with cheese orders.

“We sell the majority of our cheese within these next few months,” Hall said.

Hall said the magic behind MSU’s cheese is high-quality ingredients. Milk for the cheese comes from cows on campus, and the dairy plant only uses Grade-A milk, despite the fact that the highest quality milk is not required to make cheese.

Almost all MSU cheese, and a variety of other dairy products, eventually find their way to the MAFES Sales Store, located directly in front of the dairy plant. The store serves as an outlet for the products produced by MAFES’s programs, and in addition to cheese, teh store also sells ice cream, butter, meats, jellies, sauces and

but in different ways.

“People are always asking how will it be different, and why should I care about watching two versions of the same world. And that is the key: you just can’t retell the same story with different players in a different location,” she said.

Plec went on to explain that while Damon and Stefan’s battle for pursuit of Elena’s heart creates the action in “The Vampire Diaries,” the conflict in “The Originals” is over control of the New Orleans French Quarter.

The grotesque does not end with vampires, though, as the premiere of AMC’s award-winning “The Walking Dead” is right around the corner. Season four of “The Walking Dead” premieres Oct. 13 at 9 p.m. on AMC. Jenni Kilburn, junior elementary education major, said she awaits the premiere of “The Walking Dead” due to the unsatisfying season three finale.

“I was very upset with how the last season ended, and I have been waiting for this new season to start,” she said.

“I am very anxious to see how they are going to do season four, and I would recommend everyone to watch it.”

TV cranks up again in the fall, but this time of year is usually associated with

russ houston | university relations

David Hall, MSU dairy plant manager, surveys a wall of Edam cheese. MSU produces over 300,000 balls of cheese each year.

more, all produced at MSU. Troy Weaver, MAFES Sales Store store manager, watches over the cheese store. Weaver, along with three full-time staff members and 15 student workers, maintains and operates the MAFES Sales Store.

The proceeds generated by the store fund the dairy plant and costs of operating the store, and, in fact, the entire program is self-sustaining and requires no monetary aid from MSU. Weaver said the MAFES Store will be out among tailgaters Oct. 24 when MSU plays the University of Kentucky, offering free cheese samples to advertise its holiday cheeses.

Though MSU cheese was not originally produced to form a business within MSU, msucheese.com said the cheese operation allows the plant to support itself and also promotes agricultural and dairy research conducted at MSU. The cheese store is an icon of MSU that not only showcases MSU and Mississippi but also helps provide funding for dairy and agricultural research and study programs.

MSU develops beyond its land-grant roots, but the MSU MAFES store is one campus tradition for students, alumni and Mississippians alike keeping MSU’s agricultural history alive.

midterm exams and endless studying for Mississippi State University students.

Margaret Burleson, freshman nutrition major, and Rebecca Dumke, freshman business administration major, said they both dislike that new shows start at a busy time of the school year.

“We hate it how in the summertime when we actually have nothing to do, no new shows come on, but when school actually starts going and tests start coming up, all the shows return,” Burleson said.

Dumke said though she has a full schedule when shows return, the advent of online streaming services allow her to view TV shows on her own time.

“I don’t really have time to catch premieres, so I usually have to catch up online or on Netflix,” she said.

The thought of favorite TV shows returning can help alleviate the anxiety of midterms. While the battle between school and TV can add stress in itself, the stress of school, tests and time management can fall away with a good dose of zombies or vampires. Fall TV premieres may come at the midpoint of the semester when leaves just begin to fall, but round after round of premieres act almost as an early Christmas, albeit a gothic, undead, blood-drinking one. zack orsborn | the reflector

Sweet sounds: Yuck’s sophomore album is anything but bitter

fat possum records | courtesy photo

By Daniel Hart Life Editor

Yuck’s music is more pleasant than its name or history might suggest.

The band’s self-titled 2011 debut sounded like a perfect distillation of all good things about `90s rock. The Fat Possum Records release was well-reviewed, as “Paste Magazine” called the album, “nothing but 50 minutes of

substantive noise-rock bliss.”

According to “Pitchfork,” though, the band lost its front man Daniel Blumberg in April.

The band promised to soldier on with new music following Blumberg’s departure, and today it fulfills its promise with the release of its sophomore album, “Glow and Behold.”

“Glow and Behold” picks up where “Yuck” left off. The album’s opening track, “Sunrise in Maple Shade” slowly and gorgeously warms up, not unlike a rising sun. The song sounds like an amalgamation of Sigur Ros and Explosions in the Sky and begins the album with a soft-heartedness not as prominent in Yuck’s previous work.

The album plays like a sampler of various takes on garage rock.

“Middle Sea” pounds and

careens with shredding guitars juxtaposed with tender background vocals. “Memorial Fields” begins with a few taps of a tambourine and slowly unravels into a slow-burning march, replete with a horn section.

Acoustic guitars strum on the bouncy, almost indie-pop “Nothing New.” Horns not only accompany, but kick things off front and center on “How Does it Feel,” which even carries a bit of a groove.

Though “Glow and Behold” mostly follows the musical course “Yuck” charted, the band’s subtle addition of horns and synths progresses the album effectively and smoothly.

Satisfying moments replace wholesale changes to Yuck’s sound, like the horns buoying the buildup of album’s closing title track. The most notable change in “Glow and Behold” is its steadiness. The sharp

teeth the band sometimes bared in its more rocking numbers on “Yuck” are dulled here to calming, relaxing results.

“Glow and Behold” carries a sustained energy and includes musical peaks and troughs, but the intensity and volume levels are more consistent.

The band still cranks it up to 11 occasionally, but Yuck has, it seems, become less yucky.

The band’s music is perfect for an autumnal release, as its no-frills, heart-on-its-sleeve vibes and ringing guitars feel as comforting as pulling on flannel.

Yuck’s name and somewhat grotesque album artwork may be a bit off-putting, but it is all a guise. Under the slight strangeness of “Glow and Behold” is another installment continuing the most pure-hearted, guilty-pleasure grunge rock to come along since Pavement disbanded.

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JASON SIMPSON | THE REFLECTOR

(Left) Freshmen Chelsea Duhs (13) and Suzanne Horner (10) get set for a block against Arkansas. Dani Mcree (right) puts the ball in play in conferernce action on Sunday.

MSU volleyball falls in pair of conference-opening matches

BY ANTHONY MCDOUGLE Contributing Writer

Over the weekend, the Mississippi State University volleyball team suffered losses in both of its conference matchups against No. 3 Florida and Arkansas.

MSU (9-7, 0-2) put forth a valiant effort against the nationally-ranked Gators (13-1, 2-0), who were selected by the coaches of the league to win the SEC title. Ultimately, the young Bulldog team struggled with consistency in the three-set loss, but head coach Jenny Hazelwood said she feels the team will improve with time.

“I thought we played very well at times. I felt like our girls responded well to the challenge but just could not stay consistent enough to pull it out,” Hazelwood said. “We saw spurts of how good we can be when this team matures and becomes more consistent.”

The Gators quickly worked their way to a 7-3 lead in the first set of the match. However, the Bulldogs, headed by senior Dani McCree charged back with a 4-2 run to cut the lead to 9-7. The teams dueled over the next several points, and MSU managed to reduce the Gators lead to 15-13.

The Gators began a run of their own though, a 10-2 outburst brought the first set to an abrupt close at 25-15.

Florida began the second set in a similar manner as it began the first, immediately jumping out to a 5-0 lead and forcing a Hazelwood timeout. The timeout proved exactly what the Bulldogs needed, as they surged ahead to a 10-9 lead. MSU would use this run to build a 1915 advantage over Florida.

It was at this point the Gators constructed yet another 10-2 run to end the second set 25-21.

Despite the runs by the Ga-

tors at the start and end of the set, Hazelwood said she thought her team showed resilience in the second set.

“They jumped up pretty quickly, but I thought we responded well,” Hazelwood said, “Unfortunately, we just could not stop their run at the end of the set.”

Unlike the first two sets, MSU struggled to find any kind of momentum in the third set, as the Gators won the final frame 25-11 to secure the match.

MSU’s second conference matchup ended in a three-set loss Sunday at the hands of Arkansas (9-4, 2-0), bringing the Bulldog record in the SEC to 0-2.

MSU took control of the first set early, gaining a 16-9 advantage before the Razorbacks regained the momentum and claimed the set 27-25. The momentum shift was evident from the beginning of the second set

as Arkansas jumped out to an early 7-1 lead.

The Bulldogs managed to reduce the margin to 24-21 late in the set before the Hogs closed the door on a possible comeback at 25-21.

The third and final set of the afternoon was much more closely contested, going back and forth for much of its duration. MSU went ahead 15-14 before a 7-0 run by the Razorbacks sealed the set and the match for Arkansas.

Bulldog freshman sensation Kimmy Gardiner continued to exhibit the skills that garnered her SEC Freshman of the Week honors earlier this season, tallying 18 kills and 16 digs total in the losses. Those numbers bring her totals to 223 kills and 143 digs on the year.

The true freshman said she thought the match against the No. 3 Gators was a good

gauge of MSU’s ability in the always-competitive SEC. “I think we played really well,” Gardiner said. “This game was a good start to see where we stand in the SEC. We came out and played with a lot of ambition.”

This marks the tenth time Gardiner has led the team in kills and the third time in as many games.

Gardiner is quickly becoming the leader of the MSU team, and is compiling an impressive stat line along the way as one of only seven freshmen in the top-20 in the SEC in kills. She is also sixth in the league in double-doubles with seven.

McCree, the team’s lone senior, had solid performances and turned out 20 kills in the losing efforts, bringing her kill total to 79.

McCree said she feels the game against Florida was a

good learning experience.

“This was an eye-opening experience,” she said. “We are a young team, and now we know what we need to work on and what we are good at.”

Suzanne Horner had good outings in the opening games against SEC foes as well, with 57 assists and nine digs total.

The freshman setter is fifth in the SEC with 600 assists.

2012 All-SEC Freshman Team member Roxanne McVey posted 33 digs in the losses. The sophomore defensive specialist currently averages 5.71 digs per set.

This year’s MSU volleyball team boasts 13 underclassmen, second only to the University of South Carolina. MSU volleyball’s seven true freshmen also ranks second to USC’s 10.

MSU has an open week before it returns to conference play Oct. 11 at Texas A&M and Oct. 13 at LSU.

FOURTH-AND-14

Mullen names Russell starter for LSU game, Prescott leads MSU in rushing yards

H

ead coach Dan Mullen will be charged with one of his toughest decisions yet at MSU: who will start as quarterback when the Bulldogs take the field against LSU Saturday?

Following the last home win against Troy, Mullen said he leaned toward starting the veteran Tyler Russell in favor of sophomore Dak Prescott.

“Tyler (Russell) is our starting quarterback. We plan on Tyler being the starter against LSU moving forward,” Mullen said.

Not many can blame him for that decision. Russell was the first big-time in-state commit Mullen reined in when he first came to Starkville. Russell is a fifth-year senior, and he started a few games in 2011 and every game in 2012.

Russell was the undoubted starter heading into this season before getting a concussion in the season opener against Oklahoma State.

Since the injury, Dak Prescott has taken the team and the MSU fan base by storm. In just three career starts, Dak has gone from back-up quarterback to what seems like a viable starter in the SEC and improves each and every game.

Last season, the roles of the two quarterbacks were very simple. Russell was the starter, while Prescott would enter the game in short-yardage situations — only to typically run the ball.

Russell was the better passer and Prescott the better rusher.

But what do the numbers 223 yards per game. Prescott say? Russell started at quar- averages 208 yards per game. terback every single game Edge: Russell. Russell averlast season. Prescott has only aged more passing yards last started in three games this sea- season than Prescott has in son, so his sample size is sig- his starts. Russell is also in the nificantly smaller. Since both dead middle of the pack when only played about a half of compared to the rest of the SEC, which is the dismal OSU not great, but game, we will Following still a positive. eliminate statisthe last Rushing tics from that threat: Russell game in any of home win their overall sta- against Troy, Mullen will never be mistaken for tistics. a scary runCompletion said he leaned ning threat. percentage: Last toward starting His statistics season, Rus- the veteran Tyler back this. sell completed Russell in favor of Russell ran just under 59 for a whoppercent of his sophomore Dak ping negative passes for the Prescott.” five yards and season. That is two touchnot an awful percentage, but it was only downs last season. Those are good enough to rank No. 10 not great stats, but honestin the SEC. In Prescott’s three ly Russell hardly tries to run starts this season, he has con- the ball and is much more nected on just a tad over 59 comfortable in the pocket. percent. Edge: Even. Both players complete about the same amount of their passes thus far. While their completion percentage is about the same, neither is quite impressive when compared to other numbers from the SEC. Passing yards per game: In the run-heavy SEC, Russell was higher on the list when it came to passing yards per game. Russell was seventh last season in this category with

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Prescott, on the other hand, is very comfortable tucking the ball. In his three starts, Prescott has run for a total of 206 yards and has five rushing touchdowns. Prescott, in only three games, has more rushing touchdowns than any other quarterback in the SEC and has only 30 less total yards than last year’s Heisman Trophy winner, Johnny Manziel.

Edge: Prescott. Prescott ran for 133 of those yards and two of those touchdowns in his only full game, against Auburn. From a statistical quarterback standpoint, rushing is the only stat that makes MSU stand out. This is important because Mullen’s option offense works best with a running threat at quarterback.

The read option out of the spread only works when the quarterback can run. This option play carved up Auburn’s defense, and the Bulldogs were in position to win late before a defensive breakdown.

Russell will start Saturday against LSU. Mullen will have to decide how long he will stick with the senior if he struggles early, or if he plays well, how many snaps Prescott will take throughout the game. If the team continues to struggle and the coaching staff begins to look toward the future, does Prescott begin to be phased into the offense more and more? Mullen gets paid millions of dollars to make those decisions. But if he takes a look at the statistics, then he

BLAKE MORGAN Blake Morgan is a sophomore whose major is undecided. He can be contacted at reflectorsports@gmail.com.

will see Russell and Prescott are a bit more even as passers than people really think. Prescott is a much better runner and can command the offense in a way Russell never really could.

Of course, Prescott’s statistics are a tad skewed because he has only played one full game and two other games against inferior opponents. However, he improves with each game.

Worse opponents or not, the offense has looked as good as it ever has in Mullen’s tenure at MSU.

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ON THE ICE:

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JUST A BIT OUTSIDE

MLB gives proper farewell to all-time leader

Today in Bulldog

History

W

ith two outs in the York as a Yankee. This brought top of the eighth in- the crowd to another roaring ning Thursday night, ovation. In tears, Rivera hugged Joe Girardi emerged from the his two longtime Yankee teamYankees dugout. The sell-out mates on the mound as the fans crowd in the Bronx arose from continued to cheer — and hold their seats, eagerly anticipating back tears of their own.

“They both came to get me who the Yankees manager would call in from the bullpen. With out,” Rivera said of Jeter and the raise of Girardi’s right arm, Pettitte in an on-field YES Netand a tap on that right forearm, work postgame interview. “I the crowd of over 50,000 Yankee was thankful that they came out fans knew one thing: the all-time because I needed them there.”

As Rivera walked to the Major League Baseball record dugout, he reholder for saves moved his cap was about to take and held it up the mound at The to the crowd, Yankee Stadium emotion thanking them. for the last time felt on Overcome with in his career. emotion, RiveThe late Yan- that Thursday ra and Girardi kees PA an- night reminds embraced outnouncer Bob side the dugout.

Sheppard’s voice us of how much Rivera said he echoed through the sport means never expected the stadium. to professional his emotions “Now entering athletes. Whether to get the best the game, numof him on this ber 42, Mariano you’re 18 or 40, night.

Rivera, number walking away from “It means 42.” The speak- the game you love a lot to me,” ers blared RiveRivera said of ra’s walkout song, can tug at your the ovation “Enter Sand- heartstrings like he received man” by Metalli- nothing else in the from the fans. ca one last time world can.”

“These fans are as he jogged to the best in the the mound like he had done hundreds of times world. They came to support for the last 19 years. The Yankee me. I thank God. These fans are fans yelled and cheered as they number one. I love you guys. greeted, yet said goodbye, to the Thank you very much.”

Mariano holds the record of greatest closing pitcher of all saves in a career at an astoundtime.

Rivera faced four batters ing number of 652 saves. Not and recorded four outs, which only were Yankee fans saying seamed appropriate for the situ- farewell to Mariano, but the ation. With two outs in the top entire baseball world was, too. of the 9th inning, fellow team- Holding the best ERA of all mates and friends Andy Pettitte time with a minimum of 1,000 and Derek Jeter walked out of innings at 2.21, Rivera is arguthe dugout to close the books ably the greatest pitcher to ever on Rivera’s final night in New play the game.

1994: Michael Davis rushed for 120 yards in 17 attempts in a 49-3 win over Arkansas State.

SHANE ANDERSON Shane Anderson is a junior majoring in communication. He can be contacted at reflectorsports@gmail.com.

The emotion felt on that Thursday night reminds us of how much the sport means to professional athletes. Whether you’re 18 or 40, walking away from the game you love can tug at your heartstrings like nothing else in the world can. It can be so much more than a game and shape who you are as a person, friend and teammate.

Rivera’s departure will forever go down as one of the most memorable moments in Yankees history, alongside Lou Gehrig’s “luckiest man on the face of the earth” speech and Babe Ruth’s farewell wave of the cap to the crowd in the last game of his career.

Unfortunately for the Yankees, their season has come to a disappointing end, as they failed to make the postseason.

But on this night, none of that mattered. Baseball fans across the globe said goodbye to one of the greats and the last person to ever wear number 42 in major league baseball. We will miss the skill and precision Rivera brought to the mound, but we will never forget what he means to his teammates, the Yankees organization, the fans and maybe most importantly, the game.

Follow @Sportsreflector for daily Today in Bulldog History updates.

ZACK ORSBORN | THE REFLECTOR

Bulldog Athletics over the weekend Cross Country In its largest non-conference meet of the year, MSU’s men and women’s cross country teams claimed first-place finishes at the Charlotte Invitational on Saturday.

On the women’s side, Emma Neigel and Katie Huston claimed the top two spots out of a field of 206 runners. For the men, the Bulldogs tallied 48 points to claim the best total.

Head coach Houston Franks said in a news release the wins were a product of the team’s hard work.

“Both teams really gave it their all (Saturday),” Franks said. “This was one of our biggest meets of the year, and to come out and grab the top spots is just outstanding. They’re worked hard in practice the last two weeks, and that showed today.”

Men’s Golf Senior Chad Ramey posted his second-consecutive top-15 finish, and sophomore Ben Wood notched his second top-25 finish as the Bulldog golf team placed sixth overall at the Jack Nicklaus Invitational hosted by Ohio State University. Ramey finished a 5-over 218 and Wood fired a 9-over 222. As a team, MSU shot a 15-over-par 299, giving the Bulldogs a three-round score of 39-over 891.

Soccer Head coach Aaron Gordon’s young MSU soccer squad dropped a pair of conference road matchups at Texas A&M and LSU. In the Friday SEC road opener, the Bulldogs dropped an 8-0 decision in College Station. Sunday, MSU fell 3-2 in double overtime in Baton Rouge. Despite the loss, Gordon said in a news release he was proud of the way his team rebounded from Friday.

“After a really disappointing night in College Station on Friday, it would have been esay to feel sorry for ourselves,” he said. “I thought our attitude (Sunday) was great, and we put in a much better performance.”

Senior Elisabeth Sullivan scored a pair of goals in the loss, notching her 10th and 11th goals of the season. The soccer team returns to action Friday at 7 p.m. hosting No. 25 Kentucky before traveling to Arkasas Sunday.

Men’s Tennis A duo of freshmen concluded pre-qualifying play at the 2013 ITA All-American Championships Sunday. Robin Haden fell in the second round of play, while Florian Lakat advanced to the fourth round before ending his run in the tournament 6-3, 6-4.

MSU sophomore Jordan Angus remains in the singles draw and will need four tournament victories this week to advance to Thursday’s main draw.

Women’s Tennis Senior Alexandra Perper notched an opening-round win before falling in the second round in prequalifying singles of the Riviera/ITA Women’s All-American Championships. Perper will continue play on Tuesday with team mate Naomi Tran in double competition.

Sophomore and No. 76 ranked Georgiana Patrasc will also begin action Tuesday in the qualifying singles draw.

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